Abstract
After observing that high-intensity passive static stretching causes an inflammatory response, as suggested by the previous study, the next step was to determine the existence of a stretching threshold in relation to inflammation. In other words, is there a fixed or a range of intensity, from which stretching (a mechanical force), above or below this threshold, is associated with an inflammatory response. Eleven recreationally active males were involved in a randomised crossover trial. Each participant was exposed to three different stretching intensities, 30 (low), 60 (moderate), and 90 (high) corresponding to 30, 60, and 90% of the maximum range of motion of each participant’s right hamstring muscle. During the stretching sessions, the duration of the stretch was for 60 s, repeated for five times. To determine the occurrence of an inflammatory response, hsCRP was measured. It was observed that both a low- and moderate-intensity passive static stretch was not associated with an inflammatory response. However, similar to study one, inflammation was associated with a high-intensity passive static stretch. The current data revealed that an increase in passive static stretching intensity was associated with progressive increase in hsCRP. In practical terms, this suggests that low- and moderate-passive static stretching may be of greater benefit for both performance and recovery of musculoskeletal tissue.
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Apostolopoulos, N.C. (2018). Study Two: Stretch Intensity vs. Inflammation: Is There a Dose-Dependent Association?. In: Stretch Intensity and the Inflammatory Response: A Paradigm Shift. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96800-1_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96800-1_4
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